• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.207-214
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• 2016

Objective: This study aimed to determine the threshold of $anti-M{\ddot{u}}llerian$ hormone (AMH) as predictor of follicular growth failure in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients treated with clomiphene citrate (CC). Methods: Fifty female subjects with PCOS were recruited and divided into two groups based on successful and unsuccessful follicular growth. Related variables such as age, infertility duration, cigarette smoking, use of Moslem hijab, sunlight exposure, fiber intake, body mass index, waist circumference, AMH level, 25-hydroxy vitamin D level, and growth of dominant follicles were obtained, assessed, and statistically analyzed. Results: The AMH levels of patients with successful follicular growth were significantly lower (p= 0.001) than those with unsuccessful follicular growth ($6.10{\pm}3.52$ vs. $10.43{\pm}4.78ng/mL$). A higher volume of fiber intake was also observed in the successful follicular growth group compared to unsuccessful follicular growth group (p= 0.001). Our study found the probability of successful follicle growth was a function of AMH level and the amount of fiber intake, expressed as Y =-2.35+($-0.312{\times}AMH\;level$)+($0.464{\times}fiber\;intake$) (area under the curve, 0.88; 95% confidence interval, 0.79-0.98; p< 0.001). Conclusion: The optimal threshold of AMH level in predicting the failure of follicle growth in patients with PCOS treated with CC was 8.58 ng/mL.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.369-375
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• 1999

Objective: To evaluate the effect of serum obtained before and after treatment for endometriosis on in vitro fertilization and development of two cell mouse embryo. Design: Pretreatment and posttreatment comparoson of fertilization of mouse oocyte and embryo development in serum supplement from patients with endometriosis; result were compared using Stuent T-test analysis. Method: Infertility Clinic, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Collage of Medicine, Won kwang university, Korea. Patients was chosed eleven consecutive women with endometriosis. Interventions was all patient underwent laparoscopic or conservative surgery. This was followed by a 6-month course of burserelin acetate $900{\mu}g/d$. Main outcome was measured total number of fertilization and embryo that was fertilization after 24 hours and reached blastocyst stage after 72 hours of incubation were compared before and after treatment. Result: Before treatment, 47% of the oocyte were fertilized and 31% of the embryo reached blastocyst stage. After treatment, Significantly more fertilized and Significantly more embryo developed to blastocyst on the stage I and II of endometriosis. Conclusion: The fertilization and embryo toxicity of serum samples from patients with endometriosis is lost after treatment.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 2020

Objective: In this study, specimens from testicular biopsies of men with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) were used to investigate whether RNF8 gene could serve as a biomarker to predict the presence of sperm in these patients. Methods: Testicular biopsy specimens from 47 patients were classified according to the presence of sperm (positive vs. negative groups) and investigated for the expression of RNF8. The level of RNF8 gene expression in the testes was compared between these groups using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: The expression level of RNF8 was significantly higher in testicular samples from the positive group than in those from the negative group. Moreover, the area under the curve of RNF8 expression for the entire study population was 0.84, showing the discriminatory power of RNF8 expression in differentiating between the positive and negative groups of men with NOA. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that RNF8 expression had a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 84%, with a cutoff level of 1.76. Conclusion: This study points out a significant association between the expression of RNF8 and the presence of sperm in NOA patients, which suggests that quantified RNF8 expression in testicular biopsy samples may be a valuable biomarker for predicting the presence of spermatozoa in biopsy samples.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.1073-1077
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to find out oriental medical management and treatment of uterus myoma patients by investigating and analyzing them. We analyzed the results of medical records for 132 patients who were diagnosed as uterus myoma and visited Dong-Eui University Oriental Medical Center from March 2001 to December 2004. We investigated the frequency of symptom, the company frequency of symptom, the variety of treatment method. The frequency of symptom was dysmenorrhea 79 persons 59.85%, menorrhagia 61 persons 46.21%, subjective symptom of mass 12 persons 9.09%, infertility 4 persons 3.03%, lumbago 24 persons 18.18%, dysuria 10 persons 7.58%, dyschezia 22 persons 16.67'/), and the average number was 2.33. We investigated the company frequency of symptom, silent patients were 16 persons 12.12%, 116 persons 87.88(/) had myoma symptom. The treatment method; The frequency of taking herb medicine was 115 persons 87.12% and the average period was $50.65{\pm}5757$. The frequency of taking pill medicine was 56 persons 42.42% and the average period was $54.34{\pm}74.02$. The frequency of taking acupuncture treatment was 83 persons 62.88% and auricular acupuncture treatment was 30 persons 22.73%. We could find out the possibility of oriental medical management and treatment of uterus myoma.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.141-145
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• 2017

Objective: Delaying embryo transfer (ET) enables us to select among the embryos available for transfer and is associated with positive effects on implantation and pregnancy outcomes. However, the optimal day for ET of human cleavage-stage embryos remains controversial. Methods: A retrospective study of 3,124 in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles (2,440 patients) was conducted. We compared the effects of day 2 and 3 ET on rates of implantation and pregnancy outcomes between young maternal age (YMA; < 38 years old, n = 2,295) and old maternal age (OMA; ${\geq}38years\;old$, n = 829) patient groups. Results: The YMA and OMA groups did not differ in terms of patient characteristics except for the proportion of unexplained factor infertility, which was significantly greater in the OMA group, and the proportion of arrested embryos, which was significantly greater in the YMA group. However, the biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, abortion, and implantation rates per cycle were not significantly different between day 2 and 3 ET in the YMA group or the OMA group. Conclusion: We suggest that offering patients the opportunity to decide which day would be suitable for ET could be part of a patient-friendly protocol that takes into consideration an infertile woman's circumstances and work schedule by allowing ET to be performed on day 2 instead of the traditional transfer on day 3.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 2022

Objective: Oxidative stress and sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) have been linked to idiopathic male infertility (IMI). Various antioxidants have been tried to improve semen parameters and fertility potential in IMI patients, but with inconsistent results. The study aimed to compare the effects of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and Centrum multivitamins on semen parameters, seminal antioxidant capacity, and SDF in infertile men with idiopathic oligoasthenospermia (OA). Methods: This prospective controlled clinical study involved 130 patients with idiopathic OA and 58 fertile controls. The patients were divided randomly into two groups: the first group received CoQ10 (200 mg/day orally) and the second group received Centrum multivitamins (1 tablet/day) for 3 months. Semen parameters, CoQ10 levels, reactive oxygen species (ROS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase, SDF, and serum hormone levels (follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, testosterone, and prolactin) were compared at baseline and after 3 months. Results: Both CoQ10 and Centrum improved sperm concentration and motility, but the improvement was greater with Centrum therapy (p<0.05). Similarly, both therapies improved antioxidant capacity, but TAC and catalase improvement was greater (p<0.01 and p<0.001 respectively) with CoQ10, whereas ROS (p<0.01) and SDF (p<0.001) improvements were greater with Centrum administration. Centrum therapy was associated with reduced serum testosterone (p<0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, both CoQ10 and Centrum were effective in improving semen parameters, antioxidant capacity, and SDF, but the improvement was greater with Centrum than with CoQ10. Therefore, Centrum-as a source of combined antioxidants-may provide more effective results than individual antioxidants such as CoQ10 in the treatment of infertile men with idiopathic OA.

• CELLMED
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.4.1-4.10
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• 2023

Background and objective: Cervicitis are an inflammatory condition of the cervix. This may be acute, chronic, active & specific or non-specific, which may cause various sign & symptoms. Abnormal vaginal discharge, lower abdominal pain, lower backache, post coital bleeding. If not treated timely it causes various complications viz PID, infertility, endometritis, ectopic pregnancy etc. Hence it has been decided to conduct a clinical trial for its management. Method: This study was an open observational study. The entire patients were allocated by considering the criteria of inclusion & exclusion. Marhame dakhilyun with roghane sausan is given 10 mg as ḥamūl at bed time, after menses for 21 days. All the patients were assessed by primary outcome of abnormal vaginal discharge, lower abdominal pain, lower backache, post coital bleeding & secondary outcomes of vaginal symptoms scale score (VSS) which score the vaginal discharge with QOL in cervicitis patients and vaginal analogue scale (VAS) for pain. Result: In this present study, marked improvement is observed in cervicitis. The mean ± SD of vaginal discharge before & after treatment is 2.57±0.050, 0.33±0.48 respectively which is highly significant with p value of<0.0001^**. VSS score before & after treatment is 21.27±6.12, 7.47±2.48 respectively with p<0.0001^** which is highly significant. VAS score used for LAB & LPA before & after treatment is 6.63±1.09, 1.90±1.29 respectively with p<0.0001^** which is highly significant. Interpretation & Conclusion: The study revealed that the formulation has been found effective in healing congestion, hypertrophied of the cervix and discharge and relieving the others associated symptoms of cervicitis. It is useful and provided immediate and effective treatment for cervicitis. Hence, the trial drug can be recommended for its management.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.253-261
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• 2023

Objective: Azoospermia (the total absence of sperm in the ejaculate) affects approximately 10% of infertile males. Despite diagnostic advances, azoospermia remains the most challenging issue associated with infertility treatment. Our study evaluated transition nuclear protein 2 (TNP2) and synaptonemal complex protein 3 (SYCP3) polymorphisms, azoospermia factor a (AZFa) microdeletion, and gene expression levels in 100 patients with azoospermia. Methods: We investigated a TNP2 single-nucleotide polymorphism through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis using a particular endonuclease. An allele-specific PCR assay for SYCP3 was performed utilizing two forward primers and a common reverse primer in two PCR reactions. Based on the European Academy of Andrology guidelines, AZFa microdeletions were evaluated by multiplex PCR. TNP2, SYCP3, and the AZFa region main gene (DEAD-box helicase 3 and Y-linked [DDX3Y]) expression levels were assessed via quantitative PCR, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine the diagnostic capability of these genes. Results: The TNP2 genotyping and allelic frequency in infertile males did not differ significantly from fertile volunteers. In participants with azoospermia, the allelic frequency of the SYCP3 mutant allele (C allele) was significantly altered. Deletion of sY84 and sY86 was discovered in patients with azoospermia and oligozoospermia. Moreover, SYCP3 and DDX3Y showed decreased expression levels in the azoospermia group, and they exhibited potential as biomarkers for diagnosing azoospermia (area under the curve, 0.722 and 0.720, respectively). Conclusion: These results suggest that reduced SYCP3 and DDX3Y mRNA expression profiles in testicular tissue are associated with a higher likelihood of retrieving spermatozoa in individuals with azoospermia. The homozygous genotype TT of the SYCP3 polymorphism was significantly associated with azoospermia.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.115-124
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• 2010

Objective: To testify whether the increased peripheral blood natural killer (pbNK) cells fraction and their cytolytic activity could coincide with patient's history of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) and to evaluate these factors are can be valuable diagnostic markers in RSA. Methods: Women with a history of RSA comprised the patient group (n=35). Normal fertile women, who were experienced at least one healthy term birth without history of infertility or recurrent miscarriage, were included as the healthy control group (n=15). The pbNK cells of $CD3^-/CD56^+/CD16^+$ and their cytolytic activities against K562 cells were measured by flow cytometry and the values were compared between study and control groups. Results: Proportions of pbNK cells among peripheral blood monocytes (PBMC) ($14.2{\pm}5.2$ vs. $9.4{\pm}3.7%$, p=0.002, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8 to 7.8) was significantly higher in the patient group. The odds ratio of having RSA history was increased as 8.4 folds (59% of sensitivity, 80% of specificity, and 95% CI: 2.0 to 35.8) in patients who showed pbNK cells fraction above 12.1% which was determined as cut-off value by using ROC curve analysis. The cytolytic activities of pbNK cells which measured by three different ratio of effecter pbNK cells to target K562 cells and calculated by the percent of cytolytic K562 cells, were significantly higher in study group than that of control group (in 50:1 ratio, $48.3{\pm}19.0$ vs. $31.3{\pm}11.9%$, p=0.002; in 25:1 ratio, $37.0{\pm}18.1$ vs. $20.2{\pm}9.2%$, p<0.001; in 12.5:1 ratio, $23.5{\pm}12.7$ vs. $12.4{\pm}7.3%$, p=0.001). With the cut-off values of cytolytic activity of pbNK cells as 43.1% (50:1), 26.9% (25:1), and 17.4% (12.5:1) each, the risk of having RSA history was increased by 10.0, 11.4, and 15.0 folds in patients who had increased in each effector of pbNK to target of K562 cells ratio. Conclusion: The analysis of pbNK cells fraction and their cytolytic activity can be valuable diagnostic markers for RSA. We are going to planning the large scaled studies which include the data of obstetric outcomes in subsequent pregnancies to clarify our results of this study.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.141-151
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• 1998

Objectives: To determine whether the body weight, body mass index (BMI), and basal serum level of LH, FSH, testosterone (T), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) are related to the ovarian response to clomiphene citrate (CC) in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Materials and Method: From January 1996 to June 1997, total 57 patients with PCOS were enrolled in the present study. Women who had other infertility factors were excluded from our study. The ovulation induction using CC was used in all patients. The patients were grouped into 50 mg group, 100 mg group, and 150 mg group according to their daily CC dose. The patients were also grouped to ovulatory and non-ovulatory group. The body weight, BMI, and basal serum level of LH, FSH, T, DHEA-S were measured in all patients on the 2nd or 3rd day of the menstrual cycle. Results were analysed with Student's t-test and Fisher's exact test. Results: The body weight and BMI of the nonovulating group were significantly higher than those of the ovulating group in all groups (50, 100, 150 mg of CC). However, there were no significant differences of the level of LH and FSH between ovulating and nonovulating groups in all CC groups (50, 100, 150 mg). The level of T of nonovulating group was significantly higher in 50 and 100 mg of CC groups, but not in 150 mg group. The level of DHEA-S of the non-ovulating group is significantly higher in 50 mg group, but not in 100 and 150 mg groups. Conclusion: The body weight and BMI could be useful predictors of ovarian response to CC in patients with PCOS, and basal T and DHEA-S also might be useful in cases of low-dose CC treatment.